The irrigation department, along with police and the administration in different parts of north Bengal, will take a slew of steps for crowd control at immersion ghats during Durga Puja.
The measures include regulating crowd movement, enforcing designated immersion points, and monitoring the ghats through CCTV cameras.
The decision was made after Saturday’s stampede at the Chorebagan Durga Puja in north Calcutta, which claimed lives.
On Sunday, the principal secretary of the state irrigation department held a virtual meeting with senior engineers and the district magistrates of Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Darjeeling.
Following the meeting, a standard operating procedure (SOP) outlining safety arrangements for idol immersion was circulated to the districts.
“It has been decided that based on the size and layout of each ghat, four to 10 CCTV cameras will be installed. The surveillance will cover the entrances, surrounding areas and designated immersion points. The local police stations, BDOs, disaster management teams and civil defence personnel will monitor the footage, using laptops and mobile devices,” said a source.
“The idols must be immersed only at officially designated ghats. The puja organisers will be informed through the local police and administration about the specific locations assigned to their respective puja committees,” the source added.
The authorities have also decided that immersion activities will take place from the designated ghat itself, with people prohibited from entering the river. Barricades will be installed in areas where the water is particularly deep or poses a safety risk.
“This enhanced monitoring system will apply also during the upcoming Kali Puja and Chhath Puja,” said an official.
A senior official of the state irrigation department said the safety concerns had increased in north Bengal following disasters. In 2022, eight people died when a sudden flash flood swept through the Mal river in Jalpaiguri district during Durga idol immersion.
In October 2023, flooding in the Teesta river followed a glacial lake outburst flood in Sikkim.
After these incidents, authorities have increasingly relied on designated immersion points and barricades to reduce the risks associated with river currents and sudden changes in water levels. This year, CCTV surveillance is being extended across the entire immersion ghat premises.
The risk of sudden flooding remains a concern across the Dooars, where several rivers originate in or are connected to the mountainous regions of Sikkim, Kalimpong and Bhutan. Heavy rainfall in these areas can cause water levels to rise rapidly downstream, even when conditions appear relatively calm at the immersion sites.
Although almost three weeks of October have ended, the monsoon has not fully withdrawn. Most districts of north Bengal experienced intermittent heavy rainfall on Saturday night, while the Met office has forecast the possibility of more rain during the festive period.
Krishnendu Bhowmik, chief engineer (northeast) of the state irrigation department, said preparations were being made in view of weather forecasts. “We have asked SDOs and joint BDOs to inspect the immersion ghats in coordination with the police and local administration. The inspections must be completed by Tuesday,” he said.
Under the safety guidelines, block authorities and municipalities will install bamboo barricades in areas where riverbeds become deep or dangerous. Officials will regularly assess water depth near immersion points and restrict public access wherever sudden drops or hazardous increases in depth are identified.
The police will be responsible for crowd management, enforcing restrictions and maintaining security at the ghats, said sources.